We check in with people at each stage of the cash transfer process to see how things are going. Take a look at some of their stories as they appear here in real-time.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($521 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life has change in a big way given opportunity to explain at times I lack words to say . Having peace of mind and joy that I never expected at this particular point in time after acquiring a decent spacious two roomed house tells it all . Before, my house had big cracks and when it rained at night we could stay at one safest corner of the house to avoid being soaked up with water. The instability of the house made me worry of jeopardizing my family's safety but unfortunately I had no option due to limited resources at hand . I am happy since I have gotten a house I was dreaming of for a long time . Coincidentally, with the heavy rains my old house collapsed recently after we had evacuated to the new one . Thanks to GiveDirectly you are a life saver .
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In opinion , GiveDirectly did well through alleviating poverty in my village . This is by giving money to poor households like ours , therefore, I have a decent house in the courtesy of GiveDirectly .
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent the larger part of my second transfer to complete the construction of my decent two roomed iron sheet house. Today, I am a proud since I have seized to be a laughing stack in my village. I have saved 5000 KES as school fees of my children for next term which starts early next year . The remaining amount I bought food as well for my family's consumption and two goats .
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($530 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
I was previously living in a small house that was in a pathetic situation, was nearly collapsing and its roof dilapidated. I had resolved to save so as to build a new house. I did not have adequate resources to fulfil this. However, I am happy now because when I received my first transfer, I spent a larger portion of it to buy the building materials which include 30 pieces of iron sheets, building materials and also paid the mason for his job. It would have taken me many years to accomplish this, but because of GiveDirectly, I am now in the process of constructing a new house which will soon be ready, and this makes the biggest difference in my daily life.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was awoken by a message alert early in the morning. I curiously checked my phone and I was greatly amused when I confirmed that I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I felt happy and thankful to GiveDirectly for the financial assistance that I had just received.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent a large portion of my transfer to purchase building materials which include 30 pieces of iron sheets, building poles for the construction of a new house and also to pay the mason for his job and other costs involved. I was previously living in a small house that was in a bad state and the condition was unbearable. The house was in a pathetic situation since it would leak during rains and soak everything that was in my house, I never enjoyed the peace of sheltering in a decent house. I am now glad that very soon my new house will be complete and we move into it. I spent the remaining amount to cater for my household basic needs such as foodstuffs and other household expenses.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Having a good house that is spacious enough for the family has been the greatest desire of my life. At the moment, we share a very tiny house together with poultry and goats, and the congestion in here has offered a breeding place for pests that can be a predisposition factor to harmful conditions to the family. Therefore, when I receive the transfers, my main focus is house improvement. In addition, I intend to build a separate structure for poultry and goats. This will provide ample space for them to breed and thrive. Besides that, we plan to invest more in livestock particularly oxen. This will be my long term savings plan while at the same time using them for tillage on our farm. That is basically what receiving this money means to me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Usually, my day starts as early as five in the morning and being a stay home mother, my activities always revolve around the household. It is tedious work and in most cases a routine. The only time that I get adequate time to rest is in the evening, and this is the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
When resources are scarce, it is normally hard to sufficiently provide the family with the most basic needs, like shelter, food, and education. In our case, for instance, it has been a real struggle over the years because my husband who is our sole provider has not been able to secure better employment opportunities. At the moment, he works in Kilifi as a casual laborer and given that his job has no security of tenure, it has not been possible for him to make any major advances in life. The income earned goes from hand to mouth and that is the reason we haven't been in a position to construct a decent house. In most cases, the income he can raise in a week is not enough to even cater for his personal needs at the workplace and striking a balance has not been easy either. These transfers come in handy now that it will enable us to fulfill most of our desires.
